There's one huge reason I post most articles I find about African-Americans in this forum

[bigtree]

It's because they sink like a rock in the other forums, like GD.

My thought on this is that there's a potentially damaging disconnect of many Democrats from issues which interest and directly or significantly affect the black community. Trayvon posts, notwithstanding, there is very little effort made by the majority of Duers to bring forth and highlight these issues here. That could well be because of the dearth of interest in such posts, but it is still something that I feel I'm having to struggle with myself to accept and move on to other Democratic concerns as I participate here.

My feeling (and observation) is that if this president is going to be competitive and successful in getting enough votes to defeat the republican nominee in all of the necessary regions, he will need to be advantaged by the same type of overwhelming turnout among black Americans that he enjoyed the last time around. I don't think that participation should be taken for granted. If anything, if I were a Democratic strategist or even a Democratic booster, I'd be looking for as many ways to reach out and identify our campaign with as many African-American concerns, interests, and initiatives as possible.

Right now, that focus and attention from the party is spotty and uneven, at best. As we can see from the popularity of these African-American centered posts here at DU, there's room for improvement among our Democratic community, as well.

I'm happy to see the heightened interest in this forum -- due in no small part to the dedicated folks who post here. I'm looking for more mainstreaming of these articles and issues raised, though, which will take a more activist approach among and from our DU membership, I believe.

I feel kinda foolish complaining now that I've laid all of this out. That's not an unfamiliar feeling, so I'll just click on 'post' . . .

[duhneece]

1. And I didn't understand that the war on drugs is racist in nature..

Until I read 'The New Jim Crow'.

[Neoma]

5. I'll check out that book.

Sounds interesting.

[MarianJack]

2. Sometimes I think that very well meaning, non-racist white people...

...don't completely understand that nobody has true justice until EVERYBODY has full justice.

If I weren't the father of a 12 year old African American son who some would place a target sign on that is every bit as big as the one that george zimmerman placed on Treyvon Martin, I might not fully understand that. If my wife's best friend were not a lesbian in a marriage to another woman for the last 13+ years, I might not understand that. If my wife, her family and my best friend weren't routinely discriminated against because they're Hispanic, I might not understand that.

Just like a pebble in a still pond, what harms one of us will eventually effect all of us in some way. Just like a pebble in a still pond, that rippling will go on long after the pebble disappears.

Who among us can say that Treyvon Martin wouldn't have ben the Barack Obama of the 2040 election? Or maybe he'd have been a hard working husband and father. Due to racism, we'll never know.

More is the tragedy.

PEACE!

[Ecumenist]

4. MARIANJACK......I agree totally. It's not until you have first hand experience with racism

in all it's subtle forms do you understand how insidious it is. I compare "modern" racism to termites- They don't scream and holler, if you don't pay attention to them and eliminate them, your house sure will, when it collapses and falls apart.

My husband is white, eastern European raised Deepindaharta and I'm black from California and I can say that he's told me countless times that he was aware of hatred and racism BUT he never realised how pervasive and insidious it was until he married me and saw it from another vantage point.

[Flying Squirrel]

6. Ditto...

I`m a white male in Western Washington State, where I believed racism was nearly nonexistent. I`ve been going out with a woman whose father is black and mother is white. Never been shy about public displays of affection. We were kissing in a park and some white girl way across the other side of the park starts heckling us. This has never happened to me before, but I`ve never had a girlfriend with brown skin and black frizzy hair either. I was wondering to myself whether this behavior was based on racism. As we left the park, my girlfriend basically confirmed it by saying to me, "Don`t worry, we won`t get that very often."

[MarianJack]

9. When My Father in law was ill,..

...there were a number of times that I had to "invoke my caucasianhood" to get the hospital to give him what he needed. It pissed me off for several reasons, most especially the ignorance of the fact of my brither in law's & sisters in law's capability of being able to take care of their father and knowing his needs.

PEACE!

[JustAnotherGen]

10. My now husband - says the same thing

I'm black from California and I can say that he's told me countless times that he was aware of hatred and racism BUT he never realised how pervasive and insidious it was until he married me and saw it from another vantage point.

But he was born in Italy, came here as a little kid, and his family went back when he was about 12. In the Bronx in the 1970's - in his neighbhorhood - they weren't cognizant of racism at that age.


As an adult - when he returned here in 2001 (a week before 9/11) - he got a bit twitchy about the 'otherism' towards Muslims.

When he met me - this country's embedded acceptance of black Americans as 'less than' - punched him in the face.

[Number23]

16. !!!

My now husband

Gen, is this a very casual acknowledgement of a life changing event, I see??

Congratulations! I wish you and Mr. Gen all of the happiness in the world!

[JustAnotherGen]

17. Oops!

Yes - after a fantastic wedding on April 15th! Thanks! I don't believe in fairy tales or saviors - but he is definitely a Count in my eyes. Love love love my Giovanni!

[1StrongBlackMan]

18. Congrats ...

on the event; but I gotta say ...

I didn't believe in fairy tales or saviors, either. Then 12 years ago, I met Mrs. 1StrongBlackMan. She turned all that around AND still has a brother talking in tongues.

[Number23]

19. Mazel Tov!

I'm sure I'm spelling that wrong and probably shouldn't be using it anyway since I'm not Jewish but I've always wanted to say that!

I really wish you and your Giovanni all of the best. April 15th? You've already been married almost a month now!

[left coaster]

3. Up until the recent uproar over Komen, birth control, Sandra Fluke, transvag. (and On and On)

I felt it was the same here with 'women's issues' threads.. bottom line, issues of equality, whether they be concerning race, the poor, sexual orientation, or women's rights, should be promoted and supported by every progressive minded American. There is no other option.

On that note, you keep on, bigtree.

[Number23]

7. Yep. That's why the forum is here

And on one hand, it would be great if black issues could generate more interest "out there," I'm glad to have this quiet little, safe corner.

[bigtree]

8. the posts are visible longer, too

It's certainly a comfort, but it's also a stark reminder of the challenges we face getting our voices heard outside of our own community and amplified by folks outside of our circle of unanimity.

[goclark]

12. That's why I love Rev. Ed

He speaks for our community and he also speaks for Justice and Fairness.

[Blue_Tires]

11. well said...

[SemperEadem]

13. this forum is my refuge

Last edited Fri Apr 20, 2012, 08:25 PM - Edit history (1)

from all the stupidity and non sequitur disruptions, putting words in my mouth, off-based interpretations of what I write because of their lack of understanding or their cognitive dissonance or they're just plain too lazy to comprehend.

I can put forth a question and get a reasoned, well thought out and from first hand experience answer without apologists rushing in to tell me how wrong I am about something I didn't even bring up and certainly not with them.

[Number23]

14. + a million

I think it's the ignorance that gets me more than anything else. The lack of knowledge/understanding/perspective and the downright HOSTILITY towards anyone who dares to point that out.

Ignorance can be dealt with. Ignorance and ARROGANCE is a whole 'nother ball game entirely.

[ZombieHorde]

15. I read many AA threads,

but I don't usually post in them because I don't really know what I am talking about.

[Mr Dixon]

20. IMO

I recently found this section of the DU and I too have noticed a lack of specific topics however I just chalk it up to population and the low percentage of AA on the DU as a whole. The sad part is that there are other sites filled with AA, but please don’t waste your time visiting them, they are filled with non-sense, lil wayne, basketball wives and other stereo typical BS. Going to ride it out with the DU remain grounded in the real issues, not Lil kim’s new boobs jobs type trash.